1 Corinthians 11:6 kjv
For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
1 Corinthians 11:6 nkjv
For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
1 Corinthians 11:6 niv
For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.
1 Corinthians 11:6 esv
For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.
1 Corinthians 11:6 nlt
Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.
1 Corinthians 11 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 11:10 | For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. | Angels' presence in worship |
| Genesis 3:16 | ...thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. | Woman's submission to husband |
| 1 Corinthians 11:3 | But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. | Headship hierarchy |
| 1 Corinthians 11:5 | But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for she is all one as she that is shaven. | Counterpart verse |
| 1 Corinthians 11:13 | Judge among yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? | Appeal to natural order |
| 1 Corinthians 11:15 | But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. | Hair as a covering |
| 1 Timothy 2:9-10 | In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. | Modesty and godly adornment |
| Titus 2:3-5 | The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. | Women's roles and behaviour |
| Ephesians 5:22-24 | Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. | Husband-wife relationship |
| 1 Peter 3:1-7 | Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may be won by the conversation of the wives without the word; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is incorruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. | Subjection and inner adornment |
| Isaiah 57:16 | For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. | God's mercy |
| Deuteronomy 21:11-14 | And when thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken of themCaptive, And when thou seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast desired her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; And thou shalt put away thy fathers unto her, and she shall mourn for her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be her wife: and she shall be thy wife. | Custom of shaving hair in defeat/captivity |
| Leviticus 19:27 | Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. | Prohibition of specific hairstyles |
| 1 Corinthians 14:34 | Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. | Women's silence in the church |
| Revelation 7:9 | After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clad with white robes, and palms in their hands; | Universal body of believers |
| Proverbs 31:31 | Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. | Woman of valor's good deeds |
| Numbers 5:18 | And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the waters of jealousy in her hands... | Uncovering woman's head in adultery trial |
| Joshua 2:13 | And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver us from death. | Rahab saving family |
| Jeremiah 48:37 | For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: all hands shall have cuttings, and upon their loins sackcloth. | Mourning and disgrace |
| Hosea 4:11-12 | Wine and whoredom and new wine take away the heart. My people ask counsel at their stick, and will question with their staff, and their spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone forth of their God. | Spiritual adultery, erring |
| Joel 2:28-29 | And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit. | Holy Spirit upon men and women |
1 Corinthians 11 verses
1 Corinthians 11 6 Meaning
The verse states that if a woman does not cover her head while praying or prophesying, she dishonors her head, implying her husband or, by extension, God. This act is equated to being shaved or shorn, a public disgrace.
1 Corinthians 11 6 Context
This verse is found within a larger discussion in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 that addresses issues of order and conduct in the church, specifically focusing on worship practices. The immediate context is Paul’s instruction on head coverings for women. The chapter begins by Paul stating that he commends the Corinthians for remembering his teachings. However, he then delves into practices that had become points of contention, including men praying or prophesying with their heads covered, and women praying or prophesying with their heads uncovered. Paul appeals to created order, the nature of humanity (man and woman), and the implications for angelic observers. The purpose is to establish that worship should be conducted in a manner that reflects God’s established order and avoids scandal or disrespect.
1 Corinthians 11 6 Word Analysis
- ei de tis (εἰ δὲ τίς): "But if anyone" or "And if anyone." This is a conditional statement introducing a hypothetical situation.
- gynē (γυνή): "woman." Refers to an adult female.
- aprokalyptō (ἀπροκαλύπτῳ): "uncovered" or "unveiled." From the preposition
a-(not) andprokalyptō(to cover before, to veil). This highlights the absence of a head covering. - proseuchētai (προσεύχηται): "prays." The present middle subjunctive of
proseuchomai(to pray). It refers to direct address and petition to God. - propheteuē (προφητεύῃ): "prophesies." The present middle subjunctive of
propheteuete(to prophesy). This refers to speaking forth God’s message, not necessarily future prediction, but inspired utterance. - akyroi (ἀκυροῖ): "dishonors" or "invalidates." From
a-(not) andkyros(authority, power). It suggests rendering something of no effect or causing disgrace. - kephalēs (κεφαλῆς): "head." Genitive singular of
kephalē(head). Paul uses "head" metaphorically to refer to one's source or authority, both man's relationship to Christ and woman's relationship to man. - panti (παντὶ): "all" or "every." Dative masculine singular.
- askēmiou (αἰσχίον): "more disgraceful" or "more shameful." Comparative adjective from
aischros(base, shameful). - xuratai (ξυρᾶσθαι): "to be shorn" or "to be shaven." Infinitive passive of
xurō(to shave). This implies the ignominious state of having one’s head completely shaven.
Grouped analysis:
- "ei de tis gynē proseuchētai ē propheteuē apokalyptō tē kephalē": The construction highlights a woman who engages in prayer or prophecy in a public worship setting without covering her head. The continuous or repeated action implied by the present tense suggests a disregard for the norm during such activities.
- "akyroi tēn kephalēn autēs": This phrase links the action of praying or prophesying uncovered directly to the dishonor of her "head." This could mean her literal head, her husband (as her head), or God (as the ultimate head in the hierarchy).
- "panti askēion xurathai": This is a strong comparison. Being "more shameful than to be shorn" means that the dishonor is comparable to or even exceeds the disgrace of a woman being forcibly shaven. In ancient societies, having one's head shaved was a severe humiliation, often associated with captives, penitents, or prostitutes, marking a loss of dignity and social standing. This severe comparison underscores the gravity with which Paul viewed this practice.
1 Corinthians 11 6 Bonus Section
The concept of "headship" (kephalē) in 1 Corinthians 11 is multifaceted. While often interpreted solely in terms of male authority, the primary focus is on divine order and representation. Christ is the head of the man, and man is the head of the woman, ultimately pointing to God as the head of Christ. The covering symbolizes this order. The reference to angels observing worship (verse 10) adds another dimension, suggesting that worship should be conducted with reverence not only for human authorities but also for heavenly beings, who are sensitive to proper spiritual protocol. The debate on head coverings continues among scholars and denominations, with some seeing it as a cultural directive bound to Corinth, while others view it as a timeless principle reflecting inherent gender distinctions in God's design. The cultural context of shame associated with a shorn head is key; it was not about simple covering, but about representing order and honor in a specific cultural idiom. The Corinthian church, being a mixed audience of Jews and Gentiles, needed guidance on how their worship intersected with and transformed these cultural norms, rather than being a radical rejection of all social conventions.
1 Corinthians 11 6 Commentary
The command for women to cover their heads during public prayer and prophecy in Corinthian worship reflects specific cultural understandings of honor, shame, and the symbolic representation of God’s hierarchical order. The practice of wearing a veil or head covering was common in the Greco-Roman and Jewish world for married women and symbolized modesty, submission, and recognition of marital status. By leaving her head uncovered, a woman was not merely deviating from fashion but was symbolically rejecting the established social and spiritual structure. The comparison to being shorn is deliberately harsh, indicating that such an act was considered equivalent to a severe public humiliation, marking a loss of dignity, akin to a slave or a disgraced woman. Paul’s argument is that a woman’s uncovered head disrupted the intended spiritual order of the worship service, potentially leading to confusion, disrespect towards the leadership structure (represented by the headship principle), and even discrediting the gospel itself in the eyes of outsiders. The goal was not to suppress women's ministry of prayer and prophecy, but to ensure it was conducted in a way that honored God and maintained orderly conduct within the community.